This invention relates to a manual operating device for a slide type electrical device, such as a slide potentiometer or a slide switch, for use in an electrical apparatus.
In electrical apparatus, variable or slide type electrical devices often are used for adjusting the operation of electrical circuits. In such apparatus, the manual operating slide usually is placed on the surface of the housing for the electrical apparatus so that adjustment can be easily made.
The body of the slide type electrical device normally is mounted inside the housing of the electrical apparatus. The manual operating slide normally extends through a hole formed on the top surface of the housing and is connected to the actuating slide of the slide type electrical device. The hole is of sufficient size to permit the manual operating slide to move therein. However, the use of a hole in the housing can adversely affect the operation of the electrical circuits of the electrical apparatus. In particular, external static electricity can easily influence operation of circuit components such as FET devices because there is no barrier to static electricity at the hole. Also, the use of a hole does not present a good external appearance.
Attempts by the prior art to cover the hole in the housing primarily consist of either making the size of the operating slide twice as large as the hole or covering the hole with a gum cover having a slit through which the manual operating slide extends. However, gum covers have been found inadequate because, over time, these gum covers age and change shape so that they no longer keep the hole covered. The use of large sized operating slides has also been found unsatisfactory because these slides take up far too much space on the surface of the housing and because they are unattractive in appearance.